Using grassroots campaigning tactics and new social networking-based strategies, both local supporters and detractors are attempting to get the word out about their views on a proposed budget override for the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD).

While district officials cannot promote the override themselves, interim Superintendent Barbara Hickman said it is important for all voters to know both the facts in the case and the financial realities facing the district.

“I can provide some information, but I am certainly not promoting or disapproving the override,” Hickman said. “Here are some current budget realities for FUSD: We currently have an override that … is in its last two years and will reduce by about $4.8 million next year. We are predicting a loss of enrollment as we’ve seen for the last decade, which — depending on the number of students — could be around $700,000 [lost].”

FUSD recently decided to close one of its three high schools to combine it with the other two and make several other school closures.

Hickman said rising costs in several areas are combining with lowering revenue and state cuts to create a shortfall of up to $8 million.

“We have increases in retirement costs and benefit costs, and some changes in health insurance,” Hickman said. “All told, with decreasing income and increasing cost, we will have a $3.6 million difference from this year. That’s without taking into consideration anything the state might do as far as cutting [education] budgets.”

Rick Krug, a member of the political action committee (PAC) Citizens for School Success, stressed the importance of the override to help the district stay afloat.

“We need [the override] because the state is cutting revenue and is unable to send what it usually does,” Krug said.

Without the override, Krug said many schools would be forced to shut down important programs.

“This override is intended to fill in the blanks,” Krug said. “Areas like school nurses, librarians, janitorial staff, [physical education] and some electives might have to be cut.”

Hickman said the district is preparing for the worst that might come from cuts to education in the state budget.

“Until we know what the numbers might be, we are writing a number of scenarios,” Hickman said. “We’ve heard everything from 6 percent to 15 percent out of our budget. If the state was to cut as high as 12 percent in addition to our current deficit, we could end up with a $9 million budget shortfall.”

Hickman said the decision to close several schools in the district was an inevitable choice independent of the financial situation.
“Even if we weren’t facing a pretty severe budget crisis, we would probably be making some of these same decisions anyway,” Hickman said.

Krug said the property tax increase upon taxpayers would be relatively low.

“We understand that people are tax-fatigued,” Krug said. “This is not intended to be a huge raise in taxes. For a home worth $300,000, the tax increase would be about $6.50 per month.”

Taxpayers for Responsible Spending, another PAC, is opposed to the raise in taxes. Elisha Dorfsmith, chairman of the PAC, said FUSD must be more open with where money is spent before voters give the district more of it.

“Until the FUSD can prove that we can trust them with our tax dollars, I do not think it would be wise to give them more,” Dorfsmith said. “We need more transparency and accountability first.”

Dorfsmith said he is unconvinced of the district’s claims that it cut administrative costs from 10.1 percent in 2006 to 8.6 percent in 2008, the latter being below the 2008 state average of 9.4 percent.

“I have asked them to tell me in explicit detail exactly what was cut to reduce administrative costs,” Dorfsmith said. “Were jobs cut? Was pay reduced? Were administrative positions moved to a different category? The report claims that administrative costs went down to 8.6 percent, but it also shows that plant operations, student support and instruction support went up.”

Krug also said the district needs to improve transparency and relations with the community, but he said the issues over communication are not priorities to passing the override.

“One of the major criticisms of FUSD, and something that we are working on, is the lack of communication FUSD has had with the public — the lack of information, the lack of communication,” Krug said. “They haven’t been very communicative, and I’m very critical of that. I’ve even said that when this override passes on March 9, I will be at the door knocking and saying that it is time to work on a bigger problem: the lack of communication with the community.”

Dorfsmith said accountability is key to make sure the district is actually making cuts where it can.

“Did the FUSD actually tighten their belt, or did they simply juggle things around in order to make themselves look better?” Dorfsmith said. “I want some honest answers and so far have not received any.”

The vote for the budget override is scheduled for March 9.